Abstract

The case examines the advertising strategies of Maruti Suzuki India Limited (Maruti), a subsidiary of Japan based automobile major Suzuki Motors. Maruti, India’s leading passenger car manufacturer was founded in 1981. The liberalization of the Indian economy in 1991 resulted in the entry of several foreign automobile companies in the Indian passenger car market beginning from the mid 1990s. To prevent the continuous decline of its market share, Maruti started a restructuring exercise in the year 2001. As part of the restructuring exercise, Maruti also laid emphasis on its advertising strategy to help maintain its position as a market leader. The company launched several new products and their variants. The advertising campaigns of Maruti included TVCs, print and radio ads, outdoor promotions, point of sale and mobile promotions. The company also organized different promotional events to attract prospective consumers. Maruti also offered special schemes for specific professional and income groups. The ad campaigns of Maruti emphasized on various aspects of its cars, including fuel efficiency, space, looks etc, to strengthen its brand image, and to promote its widespread network and services. The case ends with a discussion on Maruti’s future expansion plans.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand the dynamics of passenger car industry in India. Study the growth strategies of Maruti over the years. Analyze the advertising strategies of Maruti. Examine the future challenges for Maruti.

Keywords

Maruti Suzuki, Advertising Campaign, Marketing Infrastructure, Brand Building, Television Commercial, Marketing Strategy, Restructuring, Operational Efficiency, Target Segment,Brand Positioning, Brand Communication, Brand Image,Service Network, Online Media, Print Advertisements